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How to Write Good Speech Titles

Speech titles are only needed in certain situations. The title of your speech may appear in a printed program, for example, or someone may be introducing your presentation, in which case it's worth investing a little time in making your title as powerful and memorable as possible!

If your speech is to be given publicly then its title, if carefully chosen, may bring some people to hear you who otherwise wouldn't come.

If you are being introduced by someone, then they will, of course, need to tell the audience the subject of your speech. Announcing the title is one of the best ways of doing this. A good title may also supplement your introduction by gaining audience interest.

Since titles are important in certain situations, let us look at some of the qualities a good title should have.

A Good Speech Title is Suggestive

First, the title should indicate the subject of your speech but not reveal it entirely.

People are intrigued by suggestions that leave something to their imaginations. The title, however, should not lead the audience to believe you will speak on one subject when you plan to give a talk on another.

Think of your speech title like a trademark. A good mark is distinctive. A distinctive title is capable of distinguishing your speech from others, even if given on the same subject. A non-distinctive subject-based name merely describes the content of the presentation. Just as devices that are fanciful, arbitrary, or suggestive are considered distinctive enough to function as trademarks, so it is with a formal address. However, a title must tickle the audience's curiosity sufficient to solicit attendance, so a suggestive name is often better than one that is arbitrary.

Keep the Title Short and Attractive

Second, the title should be brief and eye-catching.

Titles that can be read at a glance are much more effective than long ones. It is safe to say that the longer the title, the fewer people will read it. Long speech titles defeat the very purpose for which they're intended.

Example speech titles Good and Bad:

Be Creative and Stand Out

Third, speech titles should be original, if possible.

Overworked titles scream BORING and are the quickest way to encourage your audience to switch off before you've even got started.

Titles may take many forms. Variations include a quotation, a question, a paradoxical statement, or a shocking statement. Whatever speech title you pick, it must serve the purpose of attracting attention to your presentation.

If there will be no opportunity to use a title, or to have it announced, don't waste time developing one. It actually works against you to announce the title of a speech if it isn't necessary!

Here are some examples of effective titles:

Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Speech Titles

There are 5 common mistakes people tend to make when creating a speech title, leaving the audience less than excited about hearing the speech... and possibly even detracting from the brilliance of their delivery!

Revealing the Content too Soon

A title that acts as a 'teaser' will make your audience curious... a title that gives away the subject AND angle of your speech will create very little buzz! What's more, your audience will form pre-conceived ideas about the topic before they've even heard you speak.

Being Boring!

For example, DON'T call a speech about the health benefits of fresh fruit "The Health Benefits of Fresh Fruit" (yawn!). Find a way to put your own unique spin on the topic and create a headline that will ENGAGE listeners rather than send them to sleep (eg. "How Eating Fresh Fruit Can Help You Live Longer".)

Rambling On

Don't create a lo-o-ong title! It needs to be eye-catching and readable at a glance - particularly important if the speech will be getting publicity.

Being Unoriginal/Using Clichés

This should really come under the 'boring' category, because using dull, overworked titles can cause your listeners to switch off before you get going - as can clichéd expressions (quiet before the storm etc) unless wittily incorporated.

Being Inappropriate

There are several ways in which your title might be inappropriate...

Remember: You can't save a bad speech with a good title, but you CAN make a good speech even MORE memorable with a title that grabs attention and makes your listeners keen to hear what you have to say.

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Speech Titles and Topics: Everything you need to know

Hrideep barot.

Presentation , Public Speaking , Speech Topics , Speech Writing

Speech titles and topics are the first steps on the ladder of public speaking. Moreover, selecting memorable and intriguing speech titles/speech topics is quite significant as it makes the first impression of the speaker in front of his or her audience and it could be either positive or negative.

Giving a speech in front of a large audience is hard, however, selecting a topic and the title for your speech is much more difficult. If a speaker would not have an influential or persuasive topic or title for his or her speech, then the audience, from the beginning, would be uninterested in the talk.

What is a Speech title?

Speech titles are merely like the headlines of an article. Their main purpose is to simply give an idea to the audience about the speech. A good speech title could attract the audience’s attention. In addition, it could entice those people as well who would otherwise not come to hear the speech.

To have a title in every speech is not a hard and fast rule. However, to be an effective and influential speaker, an orator ought to form the title of his or her speech. For instance, it would be most valued when a speaker is being introduced to deliver his or her speech by his or her speech title.

Characteristics of a Good Speech Title

1. intrigue the spectators.

Moreover, even if the topic of your speech is quite simple and general, the speech title ought to be eye-catching and persuasive. Consequently, it would give meaning to your subject matter and you as an effective and influential orator.

For example, if someone gives a speech on time management, then instead of having a title as “Introduction to time management” , it could be substituted with “Life is a race” or “Every day is a busy day”.

2. Short and sweet

It is quite significant for a good speech title to be short of words but long in ideas. People usually do not prefer to read lengthy titles therefore, it should be such that they could read it at a glance. In addition, long speech titles diminish the whole purpose and value of the subject matter.

3. Unique and original

When forming a speech title, it is quite significant to be creative. A speech title could be in any form, like a rhetorical question, a quote, a statement etc. However, whatever form it takes, it should not be monotonous, instead, it should give the audience a sense of motivation and inspiration.

Various examples include:

4. Appropriate

A speech title should be connected with the content of the speech. The two should not go on different paths. For instance, if the content of your speech is serious, then the title ought not to be very amusing. Moreover, the title should not be intended to hurt someone’s feelings and it should not be offensive. In addition, it should not be such that it deviates the audience completely from the topic of the speech.

Catchy words for Speech Titles

Moreover, not only do they attract the audience, but conversely, they also psychologically impact them. The words give them a sense of clarity as they make the title to the point. In addition, their main purpose is to persuade the audience by making the title eye-catching and alluring.

Significance of Speech Topics

Speeches are a way to make an impact in the world. They give liberty to people to express their thoughts, feelings and ideas in front of others. Moreover, through speeches, we can take a stand and support the right things. On the other hand, it rather becomes difficult sometimes to speak the right words at the correct time, however, speeches are a platform to speak with preparedness and practice.

Furthermore, a speech could be delivered on any topic or subject. However, whatever the topic of the speech is, it should not be monotonous and too general for the audience to get bored and not get intrigued by it.

1. Persuasive speech topics

Moreover, the topic of a persuasive speech should be able to trigger the emotions of the audience which would make them engaged with the speech till the end.

“There is nothing in the world like persuasive speech to fuddle the mental apparatus.” Mark Twain

Some topics for persuasive speeches are:

2. Emotional speech topics

The purpose of emotional speeches is to arouse feelings or sentiments in the audience. In other words, it is simply a heart to heart talk between the speaker and the spectators. It is about engaging the audience in a plethora of emotions.

“Speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners.” Dale Carnegie

Go through this article for more information: How to write a domestic violence speech with sample speech

3. Informative speech topics

Any speech that is based on facts, data or specific information is referred to as informative speech. This kind of speech is not just about expressing one’s thoughts or emotions, instead, it is delivered to give reliable and relevant information to the audience about a particular topic or subject. It is a blend of data, the speaker’s viewpoints, statistics and research.

Various topics for informative speeches are:

4. 1-minute speech topics

Moreover, it is important to choose the right words for these speeches as it is all about expressing one’s thoughts and emotions. Hence, the speaker should follow the format of “Point, Reason and Example” to master 1-minute speeches.

“The very best impromptu speeches are the ones written well in advance.” Ruth Gordon

Some of the general topics for 1-minute speeches are:

Read this article for more useful insights: 1-minute speech

5. Speech topics for children

It is not a bad idea if children learn and master the art of public speaking. From a young age, they would be able to communicate effectively, develop self-confidence, and move away from anxiety and stage fright. Moreover, they would acquire persuasion skills and build better relationships.

Some examples of topics for kids’ speeches are:

Go through this article for more useful information: 10 benefits of public speaking for kids and how to teach them

How to find a good Speech Topic?

Delivering a speech in front of a large audience is hard, however, finding or selecting a topic for the speech could prove to be an arduous job. The topic you choose to speak on could be the stepping stone in either making or breaking your impression in the eyes of the audience. Nevertheless, if you choose to abide by the following steps in selecting or finding a speech topic, then certainly, you would become an effective orator.

Final words

Both speech titles and speech topics have their significance in public speaking. The topic is the basis of any speech, be it persuasive, informational or emotional speech. The speech is delivered on a topic that spreads a certain message to the audience and persuades them to believe the speaker’s arguments.

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The Art Of Matching Your Speech Title To Your Speech

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Your speech title has to match your speech

If you are like most of us, the next time that you are asked to give a speech, because of the importance of public speaking you’ll probably spend a considerable amount of time working on the speech. You’ll consider your audience, pick your words, and attempt to craft a speech that will capture their attention and allow you to get your point across. Oh, and then when you have it all put together you’ll remember at the last moment that you need a title for your speech , you’ll quickly think something up, and the poof you’re done. However, does your speech title match your speech?

Let Your Speech Title Guide Your Speech

One of the classic questions that everyone seems to wrestle with when creating a speech is just exactly when the title for a speech should be determined : before you write the speech or afterwards? It turns out the answer is before.

The reason for this is because by selecting your speech title before you write your speech, you can allow your speech title to guide the speech that you write . One way that you can do this is by allowing your speech title to determine the focus of your speech. Almost every topic that we’re asked to speak on can be approached from a number of different ways. If you determine what approach you want to take, create a speech title that reflects this. Then as you write your speech you’ll be able to double check to make sure that your speech lines up with the title that you selected.

A number of speeches are what are called “position” speeches . These mean that you’ll be talking about a topic that your audience will either support or disagree with . As the speaker, when you create the title for your speech you’ll be forced to choose sides. By doing this you’ll find yourself giving a much better speech than if your audience was unable to determine which side your beliefs fell on.

Match The Title To The Topic

The topic that you’ll be talking about is going to guide you when you are selecting a title for your speech. You’ll need to consider if you are going to want your speech to be informative, humorous, or educational? You’ll want to choose a title that conveys the tone that you’ll want your audience to get from your speech.

The title that you choose for your speech needs to bring your topic alive for your audience . You are going to want to make them want to hear you long before it’s time for you to take the stage. One way to go about making this happen is by making your title an active title. You are going to want the title of your speech to suggest that by coming to hear you talk, your audience is going to be receiving something.

Finally, the one thing that you might want to consider not doing is using clichés in your title . The reason for this is that we’ve all heard them so many times before that we tend to discount them: “The Keys To …”, “Secrets Of …”, etc. Understand that the first title that you think of might not be the best one. Write down the titles as they come to you and when you have a list, sit down and pick out the one that is going to best capture the imagination of your audience .

What All Of This Means For You

Long before your next audience will hear the first words out of your mouth, they’ll hear your speech’s title . The question for you is does your title match the content of your speech?

In order to create a speech title that matches your speech, you need to allow your title to guide the speech that you create – this is one of the benefits of public speaking. This means that your title should determine the focus of your speech and can also set the tone. If you match your title to your speech this will require you to take a position on the topic that you’ll be talking about. Make sure that your title tells the audience what you want to say about your topic.

Considering that many of the people who might come to see you will decide if they want to invest the time based on the title of your speech, clearly this is an important issue . Understand that your speech title can’t be an afterthought. Instead, it needs to be determined before you create your speech so that it can guide the speech writing process. Pick a great speech title and you’ll give a great speech!

– Dr. Jim Anderson Blue Elephant Consulting – Your Source For Real World Public Speaking Skills™

Question For You: Do you think that you can change you speech title without rewriting your speech?

What We’ll Be Talking About Next Time

If you are like most speakers, you are always looking for ways to add some humor to your next speech . That is always a great idea; however, did you know that some of the things that you may be planning on doing could actually be making it much harder for your audience to laugh during your speech? It turns out that this is possible; perhaps we should uncover what you should not be doing…

Titles That Talk

Short, clear, and compelling speech titles make a strong statement..

By Lesley Stephenson, DTM

Do the titles of your speeches and presentations really talk? You bet they do. They talk to the minds of your audiences, and they solicit responses like the following: This speech sounds worthwhile. Or: This sounds boring—I’ll give it a miss. Or: This sounds like the best choice of the conference workshops.

Good titles don’t just talk, they lure and entice. They have the impact of a billboard, steering audience focus onto you and your offering. And while compelling titles can’t guarantee great content and delivery, they are a first vital step toward ensuring you win the attention of your target audience.

The importance of titles, however, is vastly underestimated. Of the hundreds of presentations I evaluate each year as a communications coach, less than 10% have what I consider to be effective titles. These include the speeches and presentations of company leaders and corporate executives, so there’s room for improvement at all levels.

Keep It Short

If you want to create a great talking title, how long should it be? The answer is simple. If you want people to talk about your speech or workshop for days afterward, be sure they can remember its title. That means making it short and well worded, because we humans are no longer much good at absorbing long sentences or remembering lengthy titles. Five words or less is the recommended maximum length for a speech title.

Back in 2014, the late Rick Haynes, DTM, and I researched speech titles used by competitors in the World Championship of Public Speaking® going back several years. We quickly saw that the vast majority of the finalists’ titles contained just one to five words. While it’s hard for one-word titles to convey the essence of a speech, the title of LaShunda Rundles’ winning 2008 speech, “Speak!” showed this was possible, as did Darren LaCroix’s epic “Ouch!” in 2001. However, more often three to five words are needed to effectively signpost your content, as 2007 winner Vikas Jhingran proved with his perfectly simple yet telling title, “The Swami’s Question.”

Five words or less is the recommended maximum length for a speech title.

On the other hand, if you feel that a longer title works best for your offering, go ahead and try it out. Longer titles can work better for written media—business reports, books, newspaper articles—because people can re-read the title if necessary. Still, an article I wrote for Tages Anzeiger Magazine in Zürich, about the Swiss arts patron and conductor Paul Sacher, had my original seven-word title slashed to just two by the editor: “You Can Do What You Want To” became “His Plan.” That experience highlighted for me the importance of shorter titles even for written publications, and it led to a strong title for my Paul Sacher biography, Symphony of Dreams .

Haig Simonian, former chief correspondent for the Financial Times in Europe, is a strong proponent of clear, short titles. In his corporate workshops, he shares many stories about their virtues. And indeed, if you pick up a copy of the Financial Times , you’ll find that most titles are pruned for impact. If you want that memorability, you need to keep ‘em short.

Don’t Lose That Title

Some speakers and writers find that a wonderful title occurs to them even if they’re not searching for one at that moment. If that happens to you, write it down. Good titles are in short supply, especially for most corporate presentations, so you don’t want to lose a good title you can use at a later point.

If you’re searching for a title and nothing immediately jumps out at you, try a method used by many skilled speakers and writers. Take a quiet moment to think about the essence of your speech or article and how you can convey it in a handful of words. Write down all the options that occur to you. Don’t worry if some of them sound a bit crazy. If one is clearly the best, and you feel it is right, then you’ve found it. If not, select the three or four that are closest to good, and start to experiment by adding, subtracting, and rearranging the words. Your title will emerge from this process.

There’s also no one right time to find your title. Some people come up with a brilliant title before they’ve finished writing their speech or article, and others wait until the end. Both approaches can work.

While you’re creating your brainstorming list, remember there should be a clear connection between your title and your content. Why? Well, because your title is the first thing an audience hears or reads. It sets up expectations in their minds. If your title is just a fantasy bouquet of words that sounds good but has little to do with your content, you may end up disappointing or confusing your audience.

Liven Things Up

If your title seems dry, try using alliteration (the repetition of first consonants in multiple words), which adds a snappy quality—e.g., The Perils of PowerPoint, Sell the Sizzle, Heart to Heart, Beyond the Banner, Leaders in the Limelight. Wordplay is also fun, but a word of caution here: If your speech or article is destined for an international audience, the wordplay that works in your native language may not be understood by non-native speakers.

Good titles don’t just talk, they lure and entice.

Beware, also, of punctuation in your titles, especially in those that will be announced to a live audience. Unlike club and speech contest titles, which can be more playful, professional speech titles should be more direct. I’ve seen workshop and conference titles with question marks, exclamation marks, or even an ellipsis at the end of them. There’s a problem with this. First, unless the person introducing you is well schooled ahead of time to inflect accordingly, the announcement of your title may lose the question mark. And how exactly should your emcee signal an exclamation mark? By shouting the word that precedes it?

When it comes to written texts, Simonian, the newspaperman, warns particularly against question marks. The Financial Times doesn’t allow these in its titles, Simonian says, because they suggest that the writer is still sitting on the fence with regard to his or her opinion. “Readers expect the writer to be the expert and to guide them,” Simonian argues, “not to ask them questions.”

It is hugely worthwhile investing time in creating talking titles. They can earn you money while you sleep, gather your audience’s interest before you even begin to speak, and boost your recognition as a thinker, speaker, and writer. And there is huge satisfaction in finding the perfect title for your work.

So, what’s in a talking title? In my experience, resounding recognition, a boost for your bank balance, and fathoms of fruitful fun.

Taking Titles to the Max

Leave a lasting memory using as few words as possible and strive with every fiber of your being to avoid being the type of person who rambles on and on with no end in sight more likely than not causing most listeners to sit and think to themselves oh my goodness can somebody please make this stop.

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How to Write a Speech

Writing a speech is challenging. Not only do you have to write a compelling speech, you have to deliver it in a compelling manner! We want to help you write the best speech possible so we’ve outlined the steps you should take to ensure you write a great speech!

Table of Contents

1. Know the Purpose

Knowing why you are writing and giving a speech is the first thing you need to figure out. Are you giving a speech in class for a presentation, running for class office, doing the Maid of Honor speech at a wedding, or something else?

Asking the following question about the speech you’re writing will help you narrow down the scope so that you can start writing:

What is the main point you want to make with your speech? Your speech should have one main point that you want the audience to remember. Trying to include too many points will only confuse your audience. If you’re presenting on Ancient Egypt, you might want to make a point about why Ancient Egypt was foundational for modern civilization. If you’re writing a Maid of Honor speech, you might want to include why the bride and groom make a great couple (even if it includes several points).

How much time do you have to deliver your speech? Sometimes your speech length is prescriptive. Maybe your teacher told you to give a 10-minute presentation or the bride and groom told you that you have five minutes to give the Maid of Honor speech . Start with an understanding of time and then use our speech length guidelines to understand how many words you will need to write for the speech based on standard speeching rates.

Who is your audience? Knowing your audience is also important since some things may be appropriate to say at a wedding (jokes about the bride or groom), but may not be appropriate to say in a classroom full of students and a teacher. Also, the sophistication of your audience can influence the vocabulary you use in your presentation. You wouldn’t use the same words in a Ph.D. conference presentation as you would in a fifth-grade science fair presentation.

2. Write a speech outline

Once you’ve answered the questions above, the next step you should take is to write an outline of your speech . Highlight the main points of each section. Start with just the main points you want to talk about and then add color to each of those points. Feel free to rearrange as you go as your speech is never finalized until it is presented!

3. Write the speech introduction

Writing the introduction of your speech is the most critical part of your speech. If you don’t start your speech off with a captivating intro, people are likely to doze off and miss your entire speech!

We recommend using one of the following in your speech introductions:

Ask the audience to imagine something

Ask your audience to close their eyes and imagine something related to your speech. Try to transport them outside of the current space and time by having them imagine something in the future that may seem near impossible today.

If you’re speaking about climate change, for example, ask your audience to imagine they go to the beach with their grandkids, but the water at the nearby beach is boiling hot because of global warming!

Take a body poll

Most speech coaches recommend having the audience answer a poll, but that only works for a few seconds and may not even get a reaction at all. A better way is to have the audience take part in a body poll where instead of just asking a binary yes/no question, you ask them to represent with their hands a range of answers.

For example, you could ask them “from thumb fully up to thumb fully down, how was your commute this morning?” Or “show with your fingers on a scale from 0-5 how many siblings you have.” Even better if you can get your audience to use both hands for a scale of 1-10, etc so that they drop the cellphone in their other hand!

Establish credibility

Establishing credibility is crucial for most speeches regardless of context. Maybe you’re pursuing a Ph.D. in the topic you’re presenting about or maybe you just read that history book your teacher told you to read. Regardless of why you have credibility, you should mention it in your speech introduction in order to inform your audience why you are more knowledgeable about the topic than they are.

4. Write the rest of the speech

Once the outline and introduction are written, it’s time to fill in the rest of the speech. This shouldn’t be as hard as the first part since you’ve already established why you are speaking. Again, you can refer to our speech length guide to understand how many words you will need for various speech lengths.

5. Practice. Revise. Practice. Revise.

Once you have the initial draft of the speech written, practice it! Read it in front of a friend or loved one and tell them that you welcome critiques.

You can also run it through a tool like Natural Readers that will read the speech back to you to make sure it sounds sensible and interesting enough.

As you practice, feel free to revise it. Switch sections around if they don’t make sense logically. Delete sections. Add new ones. Your speech is not final until it’s presented in front of its intended audience.

The important thing to remember while practicing your speech is that you should aim to memorize it unless it is a monologue for a movie script. Speeches spoken from memory tend to sound robotic and will usually disenchant your audience.

6. Present it!

Once you feel comfortable with the content and practice, it’s time to present! Try to do some warm-up exercises before presenting such as power poses or deep breaths to calm any nerves.

Go on, you’ll rock it!

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“…you should aim to memorize it unless it is a monologue for a movie script. Speeches spoken from memory tend to sound robotic…”

Did you mean to say, “you should NOT aim to memorize it”?

Thank you! These are really helpful guidelines.

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How to Cite a Speech in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard

A speech means a formal address or discourse delivered to a given audience. Basically, renowned people give their statements, which contain credible information for citations. In this case, scholars and researchers can cite reports from live or online speeches for a quotation. Moreover, most speakers put their presentations on websites, being scripts, voice recordings, or videos. Then, students should cite speech presentations in different referencing styles. For instance, one should mention the speech in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard formats. Also, these citation methods rely on various rules that govern the capitalization of words and punctuations. In turn, bibliographic entries for APA and Harvard referencing styles require the use of initials and sentence case when writing the title. Besides, MLA and Chicago/Turabian entries need one to use full speaker’s names and follow title case rules.

General Aspects of Citing a Speech in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard Formats

By considering a definition, a speech suggests a formal address or discourse that an individual delivers to an audience. In practice, prominent leaders and scholars give an address that focuses on specific topics intending to inform the general audience on issues that affect their lives. Basically, outstanding speeches contain credible information that students can use for academic citations. Also, one can use the information contained in an address to support the main arguments in an essay. However, one must follow the necessary guidelines when citing a speech in different writing formats.

Live or Online Speech

One can use live or online speech for a citation. Basically, this type of speech is where one listens to a speaker addressing an audience. In this case, writers developing the quote listen to the speaker and take relevant notes. However, one can find presentations on various websites. Also, most speakers put their performances on sites to allow more people to access them effectively. In turn, such speeches may appear as recordings, PowerPoint presentations, or videos. Hence, one should cite each of these presentations differently.

APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard

Students should cite speech presentations in different referencing styles. For instance, writers should cite a speech in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard referencing styles in essays and research papers to support their arguments. Basically, these citation methods rely on various rules that govern the capitalization of words and punctuations. Moreover, the failure to follow specific regulations makes references less credible. In turn, the following guide provides accurate steps that one should follow in citing speech in different referencing styles.

How to Cite a Speech in APA

One should provide adequate bibliographic details for an individual presentation in a large symposium. Basically, some of the features include contributors, date of submission, the title of the speech, the conference or panel, and location. Also, the time of presentation should consist of day, month, and year. In some instances, speech presentations may have some descriptions. Moreover, one should include the necessary Description when developing the bibliographic entry. In turn, writers should identify all the speakers involved when they cite a speech. Therefore, a citation of a statement in APA should include adequate bibliographic details.

The Title of the Speech

The title of the presentation should appear in sentence case, inside punctuation marks. For instance, writers should ensure that all words in the title start with small letters. In this case, the first word and the one following a colon should begin with a capital letter. Also, the title should appear in quotation marks and not be italicized or underlined. Therefore, the title of the speech should appear in sentence case, within punctuation marks.

Following Punctuation Marks

Writers should observe the correct punctuation marks when developing speech citations in APA. For instance, one should use a comma to separate the last name and the initial of the first name. Besides, a comma separates the title of the conference and the place of presentation. In this case, a period should follow the initial of the speaker’s name and the title of the speech. Moreover, the period after the title should appear inside the punctuation marks when someone cite a speech within essays and research papers. Hence, one must observe the right punctuation marks when developing the bibliographic entry of the speech.

Using the URL Link

The bibliographic entry of the speech found online should contain the correct URL link. Basically, one should copy the URL link from the website, including the presentation. In practice, one should find the URL link at the top of the web page. Also, website links should be the last item in bibliographic entries. In turn, one should not include a period after the bibliographic entry. Hence, one should include the URL link of the website that contains the speech.

How to Cite a Speech in MLA

The accurate bibliographic entry of the speech should contain the speaker’s name, title, and conference, and organization. Basically, writers should include the first name and surname of the speaker without using the initials. In this case, the title of the speech should appear within quotation marks. Also, one should ensure that the title of the specific conference or meeting follows the title. In some instances, students should include the speaker’s organization, the venue, and the city. Then, other essential details include descriptors that express the type of presentation cited. Besides, some common words include address, lecture, reading, keynote speech, guest lecture, and conference presentation. Hence, the MLA bibliographic entry of the speech should contain adequate details.

Writers should use title case when writing the speech’s bibliographic entry in MLA. For example, the title case implies that all words, apart from conjunctions, should begin with a capital letter. In this case, the title enclosed in punctuation marks should not appear as italicized or underlined. Moreover, one should use the title case for the descriptors provided in the bibliographic entry. Besides, the title of the conference, the meeting of the symposium should follow a similar strategy. Therefore, one must observe the title case when writing the bibliographic entry of the speech in MLA.

Using Punctuation Marks

Writers should use the correct punctuation marks when writing the bibliographic entry of the speech in MLA. For instance, commas and periods are the two types of punctuation marks that one must use when developing the entry. Firstly, the period should appear between the speaker’s surname name, title, and conference or meeting. In this case, each entry should end with a period to follow the rules on how to cite a speech. Then, the comma should separate the speaker’s last and first names, the meeting title, the date, place, and city of publication. Hence, one must observe the right punctuation marks when developing the bibliographic entry of a speech.

Citing a Web Link

The bibliographic entry of the speech found online should contain a correct URL. For instance, one should find the URL from the top of the webpage containing the address. Basically, this information should appear as the last item in the bibliographic entry. In turn, the correct URL should lead interested readers to the website providing the cited information. Hence, one should include the URL link to cite a speech found online.

How to Cite a Speech in Chicago/Turabian

Writers should create bibliographic entries for different types of speech following the rules provided in the Chicago/Turabian manual. Basically, some examples of speeches include lectures, expositions at meetings sessions, and other similar presentations. In this case, entries of these sources should contain sponsorship, location, and date of the exhibition. Moreover, one should include more bibliographic entries for sources to be credible. Therefore, the bibliographic entry of a bibliographic reference must contain adequate details that enhance its credibility.

Following a Specific Order

The bibliographic entry of a speech in Chicago style must follow a specific order. Basically, the first piece should be the name of the speaker, which must appear in an inverted form. In practice, one should start with the speaker’s surname, followed by the first name. Moreover, the speech’s title must appear in the title case within quotation marks. Then, other important details on how to cite a speech that students need to follow include the medium of the address, location, and date. Hence, quality bibliographic entries of the speech in the Chicago/Turabian style must track specific order to enhance its quality.

Considering Punctuation Marks

Credible bibliographic entry in the Chicago/Turabian style should follow the right punctuation marks. For example, one must use commas and periods when writing the entry. In this case, students should place the punctuation marks where appropriate. Then, commas should separate the speaker’s names, the medium of the speech, location, and date. Also, the period separates the title of the address and the medium. In turn, the bibliographic entry ends with a period by considering how to cite a speech. Moreover, the period that follows the title should appear inside quotation marks. Hence, writers should use the right punctuation marks when developing the bibliographic entry.

Including the Link

Bibliographic entries of an online speech in the Chicago/Turabian referencing format should contain the correct URL. For instance, writers should obtain the exact URL from the top of the website that includes the address. Basically, this information should appear as the last item in the entry. In practice, a correct URL should lead readers to cited addresses. Hence, the bibliographic entry for speeches found online should include the correct URL.

How to Cite a Speech in Harvard

The bibliographic entry of the speech in the Harvard referencing style should contain accurate and detailed information. For example, some of the details that one should include in the listing include the speaker’s name, the year, the title of the speech, and the type of the sources. In this case, one can find lectures in the form of a video, transcript, or PowerPoint. Then, other essential details include the date that one viewed the speech. Therefore, the bibliographic entry of the statement in the Harvard writing format should contain adequate and credible information.

Covering Punctuation Marks

The bibliographic entry of a speech in Harvard must contain the right punctuation marks. For instance, the Harvard style requires one to create a listing that does not have periods. In this case, one should use commas to separate all the details in the bibliographic entry, covering the rules on how to cite a speech. Then, one should use the comma to separate the last name and initials. However, one should not separate the initials of speakers if they are more than one. Hence, one should use the right punctuations when writing the bibliographic entry for a speech for the Harvard style.

Title Format

The title of the speech should appear in the right format. For instance, one should use the title case when writing the bibliographic entry. In this case, all the words in the title should start with a capital letter. Also, the heading of a broadcast speech should appear as italicized. However, the title of the speech should appear inside single punctuation marks. In turn, one should place the comma outside the single punctuation mark after the title. Besides, the failure to follow the correct format rules when writing the speech title in Harvard style can mislead readers. Hence, one must follow the right formatting when referencing the title for the speech.

The Citing Scheme of a Speech in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard Reference Styles

Scholars need to follow the right referencing formats when citing speeches to avoid possible cases of plagiarism. In most cases, students may not access the manual for different referencing styles. Hence, the following are the schemes that one should use to develop the citations.

1. APA 7 Structure:

2. MLA 8 Structure:

3. Chicago/Turabian Structure:

4. Harvard Structure:

Examples of a Speech Reference for Citing in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard Writing Formats

1. apa 7 samples:.

2. MLA 8 Samples:

3. Chicago/Turabian Samples:

4. Harvard Samples:

Citing a Transcript of a Speech in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard

One may find the transcript of the text by famous individuals like Martin Luther King, Jr. to cite a speech in essays and research papers. Hence, the following are the guidelines for writing the bibliographic entries in different formats.

1. APA 7 Reference Example:

Luther, M. (1963). I have a dream [Script]. March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Retrieved from https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-delivered-march-washington-jobs-and-freedom

2. MLA 8 Example of the Citation Entry for Works Cited:

Luther, Martin. “I Have a Dream.” Standford University , 1963, https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-delivered-march-washington-jobs-and-freedom. Accessed 3 June 2020.

3. Example of the Chicago/Turabian Bibliography Entry:

Luther, Martin. “I Have a Dream.” Script. Presented on the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, 1963. https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-delivered-march-washington-jobs-and-freedom.

4. Example of a Reference Entry in Harvard:

Luther, M 1963, ‘I have a dream’, viewed 22 July 2020, <https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-delivered-march-washington-jobs-and-freedom>.

Summing Up on How to Cite a Speech in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard Referencing Styles

Speech writing refers to a formal address or discourse that an individual delivers to an audience. Basically, renowned individuals give their statements, which contain credible information for citations. In this case, a writer can cite reports from live or online speech for a quotation. Also, a live speech is where one listens to a speaker addressing an audience. Then, most speakers put their presentations on websites to allow more people to access them effectively. As a result, such declarations exist as scripts, voice recordings, or videos. In turn, one should recall the following points when developing bibliographic entries for speech sources.

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Last Updated: January 31, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Danielle Blinka is a Writer, Editor, Podcaster, Improv Performer, and Artist currently living in Houston, TX. She also has experience teaching English and writing to others. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Master of Arts in English with a concentration in writing, and Master of Public Administration from Lamar University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 27,364 times. Learn more...

Speeches can provide a lot of great information, but citing them can seem hard. Luckily, there are ways for you to cite that information. If you find the speech in a book, then you can cite the book as an edited book, using the correct writing style. Otherwise, you can follow the speech citation guidelines for the style guide you're using. Also, you can cite a speech in-text in the same way you would any other source.

Using MLA Format

Here's an example of the citation up to this point: Weber, Alex. “Building a Robot.” National Robotics Conference, Center for Robotics, 8 January 2018,

Your final citation will look like this: Weber, Alex. “Building a Robot.” National Robotics Conference, Center for Robotics, 8 January 2018, George R. Brown Center, Houston, TX. Keynote Address.

Following APA Format

Your final entry might look like this: Jackson, Malik. (2018, June). Repairing Surgical Machines [Video File]. Retrieved from www.centerforrobotics.com/speeches/repairing_surgical_machines.

Citing in Chicago Style

Here's an example: Ray, Jane. "Choosing Robot Components.”

The entry will look like this: Ray, Jane. "Choosing Robot Components.” Speech, Houston, TX, January 8, 2018.

For instance, format it like this: Ray, Jane. "Choosing Robot Components.” Speech, Houston, TX, January 8, 2018. EBSCO Database.

For example, you could write your citation like this: Ray, Jane. "Choosing Robot Components.” Speech, Houston, TX, January 8, 2018. Robot Science. http://www.centerforrobotics.com/speeches/building_a_robot.

Creating In-Text Citations

Community Q&A

Cite a Web Site in APA With No Author, Date, or Page Number

About This Article

To cite a speech in MLA format, start by writing the speaker’s last name, followed by the first name and a period. Then, write the name of the speech title with quotation marks around it. Put a period after the speech title, making sure that the period goes inside the quotation mark. After that, list the name of the event where the speech occurred, the name of the host organization, and the date of the event, all separated by commas. Following the date, you’ll need to list the venue and the city and state where it’s located, with a period after the state. Finish by writing the type of speech you’re citing, such as “Keynote Address” or “Lecture.” To learn more, like how to cite a speech in APA or Chicago Style, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Speak to Lead!

Speaking with impact begins with your speech title

How does your speech title impact how others perceive your speech? Your speech title matters more than you think and can impact how your audience perceives your speech, even before you’ve said a single word.

The broken promise

I sat through a public speaking competition a few days ago and one of the speech titles on the agenda intrigued me. The speech’s title was ‘Living in Siberia’ and immediately images popped into my mind. Perhaps our speaker today was about to regale us with tales of living in Novosibirsk, Irkutsk or even Norilsk above the Arctic Circles. Maybe we were about to learn how to hunt and skin furry animals living in the snow-capped wilderness and how vodka may or may not keep you warm during the long winter nights.

The speech was nothing of the sort. The relationship between the speech and its title was close to non-existent. None of the speech was about Siberia, and while perceptions of temperature formed part of the speech. They weren’t the main point per se as the speech was about a completely different topic. Did I enjoy the speech? It was entertaining but it wasn’t what I expected and it failed to make an impact on me.

Your speech title is a promise

Think about it for a moment but your speech’s title is a promise that you’re making to your audience. It may be the only piece of information that they have about you before you speaking or presenting. Just like the title of a book, your title describes what your listeners can expect from your speech. If you’re looking to entertain your audience, your title must relate to what you’ll be entertaining your audience with. This is especially important if you are looking to inform or to persuade your audience in a professional environment.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t be creative with your title, far from it. However, the relationship between your title and what you will say in your speech must be clear. Maybe your title will even crop up during the speech itself, perhaps in your introduction or in your conclusion?

What makes a good speech title?

A good impactful speech title will have the following characteristics:

The next time you prepare a speech or presentation. Pay attention to your title, it can make all the difference between a good speech and a great speech. Your title is a promise to your audience, uphold that promise and speak with impact!

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Join me on Saturday 23 rd November for a one-day workshop on speaking and presenting with impact. Together we will learn how you can craft powerful content that will leave your audiences wanting for more and establish your reputation as a great speaker.

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